STORIES FROM THE QURAN

The companionsof the garden

Activities

Included

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While they were asleep that night and were completely unaware a punishment from

Allah visited their garden, destroying and devastating it.

Their garden became like a pitch dark night by the morning. Its trees and fruits were

ruined. In the morning, they called on one another saying, "Go to your farmland (garden)

if you want to pluck the fruits!"

“Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning.

Without saying: Insha' Allah (If Allah wills). So there came upon the garden an a�iction from your Lord while they were asleep.”

(Al-Qalam : 68, 17-19)

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The companions or people of the garden were partners who owned a garden (of

fruits). When their garden bore its fruits and its trees blossomed, and the time for

harvest came, they thought that they were in control of their garden and therefore

nothing could prevent them from harvesting the fruits. So, they vowed and swore one

night that they would surely harvest it in the morning. But, they did not invoke Allah's

will by saying "insha-Allah" (if Allah wills).

And it is He Who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, anddate palms, and crops of di�erent shape and taste (its fruits and its

seeds) and olives, and pomegranates, similar (in kind) anddi�erent (in taste). Eat of their fruit when they ripen, but pay the due

thereof (its Zakat, according to Allah's Orders) on the day of itsharvest, and waste not by extravagance. Verily, He likes not

Al-Musrifun (those who waste by extravagance), (Al-An’am, 6:141)

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Allah has made it obligatory to give charity to poor people on the day of its harvest.

However, people of the garden wanted to prevent the poor from this right of theirs.

So, they departed from their houses to harvest very early in the morning before other

people were awake. On their way to the garden they spoke among themselves in

secret low tones so that the poor would not hear them. They went to their garden with

a hardness in their heart and lack of mercy for the poor. They thought that they had

the power to do what they planned.

When they reached their garden and saw it as pitch dark they thought that they had

lost their way and entered another garden. They couldn't believe that it was their own

garden. However, they then realised that it was their very own garden and that Allah

had deprived them from its fruits as a punishment!

However, the punishment of Allah had already befallen them. But if they were sincere in

their repentance then Allah must have surely given them what they asked for and will

protect them from the punishment of the Hereafter which is severe than the punishment

in this world. The garden that people of garden asked from Allah in exchange could be

the garden in this worldly life or they meant the garden of Paradise in the Hereafter.

Allah knows best what they meant and will give them what they desired if their

repentance was sincere as He is the Acceptor of Repentance, The Most Merciful and

Most Appreciative of His slaves.

They said, "Glory be to our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."Then they approached one another, blaming each other. They said,

"O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to

our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins,and reward us in the Hereafter)."

(Al-Qalam, 68: 29-32)

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Allah commands us to say "insha-Allah" only when we plan to do something that which

is allowed or permissible in Islam or when we plan to do something good. Saying

"insha-Allah" when planning to sin is not permissible and is an evil thing to do. So, the

people of the garden should have said "insha-Allah" for harvesting the fruits not for

depriving the poor from the fruits. However, they did not say it when planning to

harvest the fruits and they also planned to prevent the poor from the fruits.

The people of the garden soon regretted their actions and asked for Allah's

forgiveness and favor.

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Comprehension questionsWhat did Allah make obligatory on the owners of garden on the day of harvest?

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Why did companions of the garden plan to go very early in the morning and speak

in low tones?

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What does insha-Allah mean?

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When should we invoke Allah’s will?

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Why is it important to say InshaAllah?

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How did Allah punish the owners of the garden?

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What were the sins of the owners of the garden?

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What would have saved them from Allah’s punishment?

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ActivityAre the folowing statements true or false?

1. We become poor when we give charity from our possessions. _____

2. We should say insha-Allah when planning to do something good. _____

3. Human beings are in control of everything. _____

4. Allah blesses a thing when we share it. _____

5. Allah punishes the arrogant people by sometimes taking away the blessings they are

arrogant about. _____

6. Allah is unaware of the plans we make secretly. _____

7. Allah forgives His slaves when they sincerely repent to Him. _____

8. The punishment of the Hereafter is less severe than the punishment of this

world. _____

9. It is enough for us to plan things to make it happen. _____

10. We can stop Allah’s punishment from reaching us. _____

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ActivityMake a mind map of the traits of the people of garden.

List the traits they showed before the punishment as well as after the punishment, good

and bad. Traits are adjectives that describe a person such as patient, jealous, honesty,

etc.. Make sure to give evidence from the text for each trait you mention.

People of garden

Trait Trait Trait

Evidence Evidence Evidence

Evidence Evidence Evidence

Trait Trait Trait

AcknowledgementAll praise and thanks are for Allah Alone

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